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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. firm — steady
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. game — wild animals
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. firm — decided
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. firm — a company
  17. rule — a law
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — bread
  20. rule — government
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — a match
  24. mouse — for a computer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com